Need suggestions for airplane load.

[kalbert]

How detailed are the engines and cowling? I think it would be cool if you had the engines, cowling and props on flat cars en route to be unloaded at a museum where the fuselage is being restored. You could model the fuselage partially disassembled, with portions polished and complete and other parts dinged up and tarnished.

[RailKing50]

tarp the ends to solve the need to detail the exposed ends

Great idea! I'll have to try that method out.

en route to be unloaded at a museum where the fuselage is being restored.

Neat concept. Unfortunately, I am not sure when I will have a layout to be able to do that. I will be adding a CFO, a wife, in the near future and I am not sure where life is going to take me from that point on. Will our first house have a train room? Will I even have room for my current layouts? and so on. But, if I put it on a train, I will be able to run it at shows and other friend's layouts. Now with all of the left over parts..... I may be able to do something like that. Thank you for your input!

-Bo

[RailKing50]

I rounded up my available flat cars. A rough estimate is that I will need 9-10 flat cars total to get the whole plane on there.

20160201_223059.jpg

The question is, do I purchase matching flat cars for the cause? Or piece together the consist. I would update the ones that I have to MT running gear of course.

Here is a size comparison of the plane itself. I'll come up with a breakdown of flat car loads tomorrow for discussion.

20160201_223435.jpg

Bockscar with its flat car load. When complete, this consist will make for a great show focal point! I can see adding a couple box cars to it and of course a caboose as well!

20160131_191350.jpg

-Bo

[RailKing50]

I tried to color code the different car loads. So as it is now, it looks like I will need a total of 8 flat cars. I am hoping to put the landing gear on the same car as the propellers.

20160201_223435.jpg

The longest load will be the main fuselage at roughly 4 3/4" in length, which if I did the math right, a little over 63 scale feet long.

-Bo

[JohnMD]

Google images is a wonderful thing, entered "aircraft shipped by rail" this and other images popped up
Planes by Rail.jpg

[RailKing50]

I saw that John. I also saw several pictures of fuselages over an embankment and in a river! I am trying NOT to model that!

It is a little harder to find how they shipped the whole thing though, rather then just the fuselage. I am not a fan of the flat cars that they use also.

One can only consult the oracle, Google, so much though. You can lose a lot of time surfing the web. I thought about asking the fine folks on the forum to see if anyone had any experience making such a load, and to ask for pointers.

-Bo

[ChicagoNW]

Remember that the blades of the props are separate items. They would be broken down for shipping.

[Lake]

So far this have been a very enlightening post.

[Tred]

@RailKing50 - I went looking for dimensions on the B-29 and came across this. ---> http://flgrube1.tripod.com/id26.html (Scroll down and look at specifications.)

I am not sure, but was wondering about the wings being taken apart in sections? Your pictures above, showing how you would dissect it, would really chop up the 14 fuel compartments in those wings. And with a wingspan of 141' (not counting the width of the fuselage) would be a challenge, to say the least. It brings to mind, photos of shipping wind turbine blades by rail? With the fuselage being 99', you could get get away with dissecting it into 3 sections to ship by rail. Unless you plan on a larger flat car. Sorry, just thinking out loud.

Again, I wish you luck in whatever you decide to do. I'll be looking forward to seeing what you finally end up doing in the long run.

[Jugtown Modeler]

It is a little harder to find how they shipped the whole thing though, rather then just the fuselage. I am not a fan of the flat cars that they use also.

You are in uncharted waters. Whatever you come up with in your kingdom will be the rule of law from here on out. So make sure you follow the 6 "P's" of Prototypical Improvisational Simulated Historical (PISH) modeling: Make it possible, plausible, probable, pragmatic, proper, punctilious and perfect! (Yes, that's 7 but that is the code. Can't argue with modeling code.)

No pressure here!!

[kalbert]

Plausible is the big one. Whether B29's are or were ever partially disassembled/assembled and shipped by rail or not, if you do it a way that looks like it could be a way, then it is a way. Most people have no clue what the inner workings of a B29 look like or where cut lines might be to make it fit on a rail car, but they'll be able to tell the difference between cartoonish and plausible. Heck maybe it was cut up intentionally to get it to fit on a flat car, with no intention of putting it back together and flying it. Maybe it's on it's way to a collector for static display or a scrap yard for parting out or worse. I think you're on the right track, asking the right questions and getting some really good answers. The biggest seller may be in the details. Strapping, blocking, and tarps. If those look good then the the whole load will!

[RailKing50]

Sorry, just thinking out loud.

That is exactly what I am wanting out of this thread, .02 cents from anyone willing to give it to me. Could possibly save me from future headaches, and could possibly save a few people from having them as well if they try something similar.

Maybe that is why they cut Doc's wings up like this? Because of the fuel tanks..... structural integrity?

Capture2.PNG

Below is a photo of sub assemblies with the wings similar to Doc's transported wings.

B-29proda.jpg

After looking it over, the way that I would want to do that, a variation of the above picture, would be too wide for the flat cars. I think that I am going to try to do something like below. Another picture of the other wing parts from Doc's restoration.

Capture.jpg

No pressure here!!

Really, because I am starting to feel some!!!!

biggest seller may be in the details.

I totally agree. I would like a realistic model when this is all said and done. So, steady as she goes.

-Bo

[Tred]

@RailKing50 - In the 1st picture, that is the main spar with the wings attached. IF I'm not mistaken, the main spar was cast as one piece? Then the wings (fuel cells) were attached to it. The two outer pieces for the wings (no fuel cells), are on the ends.

In the 3rd picture, the wing parts on the skid (with the stars on them) are the outer parts of the wing. I do believe, the main spar would NOT be cut in half, as it was cast in one piece. And given the inner wings (fuel cells) are attached to the main spar, you "might" be able to cut them at the fuselage meeting point?

Just thinking back on some experiences I had with some older aircraft (WWII) in my early days in the Navy, I got a chance to volunteer at the San Diego Air & Space Museum.

[RailKing50]

Correct me if I am wrong, but does this picture show the tanks in the spar? Or do I have the spar confused with a different part of the wing?

I appreciate all of your help.


Gas Tanks.jpg

-Bo

[Jugtown Modeler]

Not sure of the answer there. Appears that multiple fuel tanks are sitting between the wing framework and between the front and rear spars. Lots of room in those wings... http://i.imgur.com/zasshCE.gif
Saw this as well: http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/d.../Models003.jpg
http://www.projecthexagon2.com/siteb...g.w560h770.jpg


But this should be inspiring: http://b-29.org/b-29-doc/restoration-doc.html - article about transporting a B29 (via truck) for restoration. With breakdown of parts.

[RailKing50]

I have been referencing Doc's restoration as well. It is the closest thing that I can find as to what I am trying to do. There are videos of Doc's engines starting up, shouldn't be too much longer and then we will have another B-29 air worthy!

[Jugtown Modeler]

IF I'm not mistaken, the main spar was cast as one piece?

Saw this: "Boeing had to devise a way to manufacture two wing spars which were the longest and heaviest Duralumin extrusions ever made. During destruction testing of the Boeing 117 wing, it took 300,000 pounds of pressure to collapse the wing." http://www.aviation-history.com/boeing/b29.html

[emaleyiii]

I think you are on the right track. We replaced the main spar on a DC-9 when I was working in Arizona. I didn't know that was even possible. During disassembly you could see conpletely through the belly of the plane.The wing spars connect to the wingbox in the fuselage. They can drill rivets and replace almost anything, depending on how much trouble they want to go to. They have jigs that they cradle the structure in to keep alignment. Pretty amazing. In the early 90's I spent a weekend working on Fifi while I was in A&P school. Totally awesome project. The main issue I see is the propellers are 14' in diameter. That might need a good solution, although they would probably just disassemble them.

Trey

[RailKing50]

Tred, you are suggesting something like this correct? The red section is all one piece and would require 3 cars to load it.

20160201_223435 Disected 2.jpg

-Bo

[RailKing50]

Trying to go back through and respond to some replies....

Could do something like this

I saw that! How neat?! I am afraid that due to the size of the B-29, that it would cover up and hide most of the details! If I ever come across a scale B-17 though hmm.... Wait. Wait. Stay on topic! I already have enough projects started! haha

How detailed are the engines and cowling

They are not very detailed unfortunately. I'm sure that my 10 year older self may be able to do a better job of dressing them up a bit though compared to when I originally built them. Depending on how the build goes, I may try to build a couple extra cars with the left overs. Or maybe put some pieces on wooden pallets for detail pieces at an unloading dock for a future restoration facility for B-29s! Possibilities are endless!

spent a weekend working on Fifi while I was in A&P school.

Maybe you can use your expertise to help re assemble Bockscar! That is after I decide on the back story and the train gets to wherever it is going! haha. What a neat experience, I am truly envious. As for the propellers.... I haven't decided, but I was thinking about mounting them vertically back to back or disassembling them. Any thoughts...... They would be more recognizable together so leaning towards them being assembled somehow.

-Bo